Arkansas State University director of athletics Dr. Dean Lee announced on July 1, 2008, that Tommy Raffo had been named head coach of the Red Wolves baseball team.

As a member of the Southland Conference, Arkansas State did not receive an automatic bowl game bid and was not selected for post-season play.

[4] In 2011 the Red Wolves again finished as Sun Belt Conference champions with a 10–2 record and played in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, losing to Northern Illinois.

In 2012 the Red Wolves finished as Sun Belt Conference champions for the 2nd year in a row with a 9–3 record and played in the GoDaddy.com Bowl against #25 Kent State, winning the game 17–13.

In 2013 the Red Wolves again finished as Sun Belt Conference champions for the third straight year with a 7–5 regular season record and again played in the renamed GoDaddy Bowl, defeating Ball State 23–20.

Arkansas State was promoted to Division 1 and made the commitment to dedicate resources to its rugby program, offering the in-state tuition rate to qualifying out-of-state players.

The Red Wolves defeated Army and St. Mary's in the 2012 national playoffs to reach the finals of the 2012 college rugby championship, losing to BYU 49–42 before 8,700 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

[11] Arkansas State repeated in 2013, going 6–0 to once again win the USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships, this time behind tournament MVP Dylan Carrion.

[14] In July 2014 Arkansas State was invited to join University of Texas, University of Oklahoma, Notre Dame, BYU, Clemson, UCLA, Cal, Central Washington, Dartmouth, Air Force, Utah, and Navy at the top of college rugby as the 13th member of the now defunct Varsity Cup Championship.

[16] Arkansas State officially retired the Indian mascot on February 28, 2008, during the last home basketball game of the season.

During the process of reviving the tradition, Dowd sought permission and advice from the Cherokee and other local tribes on attire, dance and appearance.

The move for the name change comes in response to the NCAA's 2005 ban on ethnically or racially derogatory mascots at championship events.

In 2003, Arkansas State University decided to make a new mascot, named Red, created by ASU's director of athletic marketing, Andrea Scott.

"Red absolutely will not replace Arkansas State's official mascot, the Indian Family," said Dr. Dean Lee, ASU director of athletics.

[24] "Red was named because that was how he was perceived by the marketing analysis and research groups, which were children and youth," said Dr. Dean Lee, ASU's athletic director.

A meeting was held on December 3, 2007, to review the list,[32] which was narrowed in January 2008 to Red Wolves, Ridge Riders or Express Train.

Arkansas State officially retired the Indian mascot on February 28, 2008, during the last home basketball game of the season.